Several design patents have been issued that resemble aircraft or parts of an aircraft in combination with a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans have been produced that allow for the removal or changing of fan blades to provide a different appearance. Products have also been patented that detect the presence of a person within a room and signal an alarm. Products have been patented that emit pre-recorded messages or statements. While all these products have been produced separately, none have been produced that provide a combination of all the components in a single product.
Examples of patents for aircraft in combination with a ceiling fan include design patents U.S. Pat. No. D295,430 issued to Smith on Apr. 26, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. D341,194 issued to Reid et al. on Nov. 9, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. D359,553 issued to His on Jun. 20, 1995 and U.S. pat. No. D374,926 issued to Sheh on Oct. 22, 1996. All of these patents are for the ornamental design of a ceiling fan with a helicopter body, but none of them offer the utility of lights, changeable number of blades, sounds, or motion detection.
Most ceiling fans are configured with replaceable or changeable blades to allow the fan to match the room. For the helicopter ceiling fan proposed various types of blades are possible including the removal of blades and replacing them with counter balancers that are used with some helicopters. The removal of a number of blades from ceiling fans is normally not a desirable feature because less airflow may result with the removal of blades. The rotors of the ceiling fan may also be configured to accommodate two, three, four, or six blades to match the helicopter type. Ceiling fans that are available today do not offer changeable blades with the functions of helicopter lighting, sounds, or motion detection.
Examples of motion detection devices include patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,396 issued to Script on Apr. 10, 2001 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,078 issued to Script et al. on Apr. 1, 2003. All of these patents are for stand alone or portable alarm systems that signal an alarm when a person or motion is detected. None of these patents are for the combination with a ceiling fan and further do not cover the combination of motion detection with a ceiling fan and sound production. They further do not cover the utility of lights, changeable number of blades, sounds, or motion detection.
Examples of solid-state sound generating devices include patents using a speech synthesizer chip such as the TMS5100, which was developed by Texas Instruments for educational uses. The electronic circuit contained on a semiconductor chip produces electrical impulses into simulated human speech with an electronically activated speaker electrically connected to the semiconductor chip for receiving said electrical impulses and converting them into sound simulating human speech. Patents with this or similar technology include patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,191 issued to Sadorus on Dec. 31, 1974, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,573 issued to Montgomery et al. on Nov. 3, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,741 issued to Kondo on Dec. 20, 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,075 issued to Armstrong on Jun. 6, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,374 issued to Schwartz on Oct. 25, 1994. All of these patents are for sound generating devices, but none of them are for a combination with a ceiling fan or a ceiling fan with lights, changeable number of blades or motion detection.
What is needed is a single product that offers changeable blades and bodies that simulate a helicopter with a ceiling fan with a sound-generating device. The ideal device would also allow the control chains that simulate lanyards that extend from the body of the helicopter. The device could also include a motion detection mechanism that can begin operation when a person is detected entering the room. The proposed application satisfies these requirements.